Discover! Science Library

Discover! Astronomy
Astronomy and the Universe™
How the universe came to be and evolved. Star formation and the life cycle of stars. What the universe is made of:space, energy and matter. How astronomers learn about the universe. Kepler’s and Newton’s laws of motion. The nature of matter and energy.

Earth and the Inner Solar System™
See the sun as a star within an environment that includes a family of planets. Sterile Mercury, baked Venus, spaceship Earth (and its blasted moon) and frigid Mars. Earth-based studies and robotic missions to the inner planets reveal clouds, craters, volcanoes and features unique to each planet.

The Outer Solar System™
See the gas giants from the point of view of a space probe. Tour the different atmospheres, ring systems and moons of the outer planets. Compare Pluto to the Jovian worlds,comets and asteroids. Consider impact craters and make your own; see what it’s really like in the far reaches of the solar neighborhood.

Discover! Geology
Dynamic Earth™
A look at the Earth as a dynamic system in action. Earth’s formation, shape, size, motions, internal structure and magnetic field. Geological history and time scales. The changing geosphere. Plate tectonics and continental drift—plus earthquakes and volcanoes!

Minerals, Rocks and Resources™
A look at Earth’s raw materials and how they are cycled and recycled. Minerals and crystal structure. Atomic bonding.The three main rock groups: igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. Rock formations and the rock cycle. Renewable and non-renewable resources.

Carving the Earth: Soils, Erosion and Landforms™
Earth’s surface is always changing. This CD looks at erosion in all its forms—from wind, water and ice to plate tectonics. Folds, faults and impact structures. How soil is formed and how it varies with climate and latitude. How small and large forces act over time to change the Earth’s face.

Discover! Oceans
Earth’s Oceans™
The fundamentals of physical oceanography. Earth’s water cycle. The special properties of water. Earth’s water reservoirs. The role of the sun’s energy in driving the cycle. Ocean heating and ocean currents. The evolution of ocean basins and continental margins within the context of plate tectonics and continental drift.

Oceans in Motion™
A look at ocean action. Waves, tides, and changing sea levels. Submergent and emergent coastlines. Coastal features and interactions. Light in the oceans. Plankton, food chains, food webs and trophic levels.

Earth’s Water Cycle™
A “big picture” view of Earth’s hydrologic cycle. How liquid and solid water move over and through the land .Landforms shaped by moving water. Glaciers and glacial balance. Remote sensing and the oceans from space.

Discover! Weather Weather Fundamentals™
Get a view of the weather as a global system. See Earth’s atmosphere as air masses in motion that interact to produce our weather. Look at the water cycle, cloud formation, cloud types, and warm and cold fronts. Global, regional and local patterns and how they are influenced by geography.

Extreme Weather™
What makes storms? Why do some storms become so dangerous? Get inside a thunder cell, a tornado and a hurricane. See where the jet stream fits into the picture. Learn where storms get and release their energy. The human and economic impacts of severe weather events.

Weather Forecasting and Climate™
See how local weather observations, weather charts and satellite data come together to predict a great day at the beach. Build your own backyard weather station. Learn how remote sensing of the oceans and the atmosphere—coupled with historic weather data—allow us to look into the past in order to predict Earth’s future climate.

Discover! Life in the Environment Life Science™
Take a multimedia journey to understand life on Earth—plants,animals and humans. Explore the biosphere. Find out how plants work. Learn about the biology of humans and animals. Explore life in the oceans and find out how productive environments function. Learn about evolution. Find out how changing populations impact our planet.

The Environment™
A multimedia investigation of Earth’s environment—time, processes, energy and climate. Learn about changes in the Earth over time. Explore how different forms of weathering and erosion shape the land. Learn about powerful glaciers. Find out about energy use and climate change. Discover how people are working to make the Earth a more livable planet.

Discover! Physical and Chemical Sciences
Physical and Chemical Sciences™
Learn the basic concepts of physical and chemical science. Time, space, position, distance, co-ordinate systems; matter and atomic theory (atoms, molecules, elements, compounds, solids, liquids and gases); energy (conservation, potential and kinetic, heat, work,machine); waves and vibrations (wave motion, reflection, refraction,interference, amplitude, wavelength, frequency); force and motion(speed and velocity, gravity, Newton’s laws).